Sixth District Congressional candidate Sean Casten today received the endorsement of the Illinois AFL-CIO, representing more than 1.5 million members of union households in Illinois.

The state’s largest labor organization criticized incumbent Republican Peter Roskam for “an 11-year record in Congress of voting consistently with big corporations and against the interests of working people.”

“The working people of our state need a change in Congress and we’re confident that Sean Casten will fight on their behalf,” said Michael T. Carrigan, President of the Illinois AFL-CIO.

“I am thrilled to have the endorsement of an organization that includes teachers, nurses, firefighters and other hardworking people across the Sixth District,” said Casten, a scientist, and clean-energy entrepreneur.

“I will be a voice for the working families in our district who have been shut out by their Congressman,” said Casten. “Peter Roskam’s door is always open to lobbyists for the wealthy and the big corporations, but not to the people in our district who just want to be heard.”

Casten cited Roskam’s votes against a minimum wage increase and equal-pay-for-equal work and his multiple votes to repeal Obamacare as prime examples of his lack of concern for working families.

“But his crown jewel is the tax bill Peter authored, which creates $2.3 trillion in deficits while giving more than 80 percent of its benefits to the wealthiest one percent,” Casten said. “That’s a recipe for more inequality in our country rather than a plan to give more Americans a piece of the pie.”

“First in Springfield, and now in Washington, Peter Roskam consistently sides with corporations and the wealthiest one percent while turning his back on workers,” Carrigan said. “We need people in Congress who’ll put Illinois’ working families first.”

Carrigan said the Illinois AFL-CIO will work hard to make sure its 58,000 union and family members in the Sixth District learn of its endorsement of Casten and come out to vote in November.